Daily Eargasm

Brother Ali - Freedom Aint Free

2009-03-03T19:03:00.001-08:00

So I use blood and sweat to butter my bread
Cause this cold world couldn't give a fuck if I'm fed

Brother Ali is an albino rapper. But don't let the light skin fool you, he's a very talented MC. A devout Muslim, Ali was discovered in 2000 by the Rhymesayers Crew who took him along to Scribble Jam where Ali became a finalist. His debut album, Shadows on the Sun, was released 3 years later and produced by Atmosphere's Ant. His music is raw and honest. He raps about being albino, Muslim, & dealing with his divorce and battle for custody of his son among other life struggles.

"Freedom Aint Free" is a reggae influenced track where Ali slows down his flow and speaks from the heart. Not all his songs are so serious though. You'll find a good mix of upbeat songs as well and even a few "silly" tracks. Regardless though, he is lyrically gifted and one of the best rappers of our generation.

The Lonely Island - Boombox

2009-03-02T17:38:00.000-08:00

Your preconceived notions were shattered
By these super old white people dancing

I don't typically care for comedy albums. I was never a fan of Tenacious D, although I like Jack Black, and can only take so much of Circus. What's that you say? Britney's album wasn't meant to be comedy? Hm ... could've fooled me. No, but seriously, The Lonely Island not only makes me laugh a lot but I find that I seriously dig the production on their debut--Incredibad. An odd title considering how good it actually is and how much people across the board seem to really like it, but the closing track creates a rather humorous story behind the name.

"Boombox," featuring Julian Casablancas (love that name) of The Strokes, is one of the better songs on the album both lyrically and musically. The song is about the power a boombox has over a bunch of old white people. I really don't want to say more than that cause I'd prefer you just listened to the lyrics yourself.

Favorite Part: Julian's contribution to the chorus.

Lykke Li - Little Bit

2009-02-26T22:08:00.000-08:00

And for you I keep my legs apart
And forget about my tainted heart

If you know me or have been following my blog, or more specifically, my Twitter, then you know that I have grown quite fond of Swedish indie pop star, Lykke Li. I have now made it my mission in life to take her hand in marriage. So I thought I'd use today's blog post to share another song off her debut album, Youth Novels, and also to share some of the reasons why she has quickly become one of my favorite "new" artists.

Firstly, today's eargasm: "Little Bit." At first I simply loved the music and feel to the song but as I listened to it more and more I realized how much I absolutely love the lyrics. As the album title suggests, the songs are about youth and this song, specifically, sums young (& naive) love perfectly with lyrics like "I would do it/Push a button/Pull a trigger/Climb a mountain/Jump off a cliff/Cause you know baby/I love you love you/A little bit." Remember in high school when you first fell in love, or thought you did (or maybe you are right now!), and felt like you would do any sort of foolish thing for the person, but at the same time didn't know jack about love other than if the person loved you then you loved them too? Yeah, neither do I. But I'm sure many out there are/were like that. But I digress ... just listen:

Here are a few other reasons why she's awesome:

1. She was a dancer & gets her groove on on stage. She's an all out amazing performer and puts a lot of effort into getting the crowd involved and dancing as well.

2. She does amazing covers. I was fortunate enough to see her perform a cover to one of my favorite Kings of Leon songs--"Knocked Up." Check it:

3. She loves hip hop and shows it:

I could probably go on but I don't want to sound obsessive (in case I already haven't). Please feel free to share any of your favorite Lykke Li songs/moments in the comments!

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Goodbye to the Mother and the Cove

2009-02-24T18:57:00.000-08:00

To wear no clothes
To strike no pose

I still haven't decided how I feel about Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. On the one hand I feel the vocals prevent me from really liking them, but on the other hand I find that every time I listen to Some Loud Thunder I find myself enjoying a lot of the songs. In conclusion, they're musically talented but the vocals might not be your cup of tea. Despite that, the band did surprisingly well after self releasing their debut LP, actually selling more than 6 figures worth of albums.

One of the songs I find myself enjoying a lot is "Goodbye to the Mother and the Cove." I almost want to say it's a very simple song but only in comparison to some of the other songs on the album (i.e. "Satan Said Dance"). That could be due to the fact that it's rhythmically steady in the sense that the instruments don't change very much throughout most of the song and instead provide a solid backbone for Ounsworth's vocals to soar. Contrary to what I stated before about the vocals, this ends up working quite well. Go figure.

Favorite Part: When the song finally does change up a bit and we're introduced to some rolling drums. The lyrics here are short lines of 2-3 words which give the song a very march-like effect.

My Brightest Diamond - Workhorse

2009-02-23T19:14:00.000-08:00

Cause you're no good to us
Lost all your youth

What initially stood out to me about Shana Worden of My Brightest Diamond were her vocals. A classically trained vocalist and talented musician, Worden's songs contain elements of rock, classical and cabaret styles of music. Obvious comparisons are artists like Bjork & Kate Bush but I still find originality in My Brightest Diamond. After all, it's expected when you have someone who was raised by a National Accordion Champion-winning father and an organist for a Pentecostal church; who studied opera at the University of North Texas; and who then moved to New York City and found herself delving into the depths of the underground rock scene.

"Workhorse" is off her debut album--Bring Me the Workhorse. Prior to this album, Worden toured with Sufjan Stevens as cheerleading captain for his "Illinoisemakers." After this tour she set out to record her own music under the moniker, My Brightest Diamond and released her debut on Steven's Asthmatic Kitty in 2006.

Favorite Part: I like the elements of trip hop. I really feel like this could be a Portishead song.

BTW: If you haven't checked out the Dark Was the Night compilation you really should. It's an amazing collection of tracks by, well, a lot of amazing artists! Plus, all proceeds go to benefit the Red Hot Organization which is dedicated to raising money and awareness for HIV and AIDS. One of my favorite songs on there is My Brightest Diamond's cover of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good." Thanks to the site I was able to make the following widget so you can check out my top 3 tracks:

Beirut - The Akara

2009-02-20T19:09:00.000-08:00

So long, my fate has changed
It's hindering

Beirut released two EPs earlier this week: March of the Zapotec and Holland. Similar to what Bright Eyes did with Digital Ash/I'm Wide Awake, the EPs are split stylistically between a more acoustic sound (March) versus electronic (Holland). The former is typical Zach Condon except this time Eastern Europe is replaced by Mexico in terms of musical influence. In fact, Zach went to Oaxaca, Mexico where he recorded several songs in a small village with a 19 piece collective known as the Jimenez Band.

Despite the fact that Holland may seem far removed from Beirut's previously released albums, it's actually much closer to his original roots as a musician. When Beirut first starting recording music in his bedroom while in high school, he was primarily composing electronic music. It wasn't until he left America to travel throughout Europe that he began to write the style of music that has now become much more closely associated with him. The kind that is deeply influenced by the cultures he immerses himself in.

"The Akara" is a track from March of the Zapotec. It starts off much like "Gulag Orkestar" with it's funeral march-like trumpets followed by a slightly happier tune. Given that this was recorded in Mexico, it's a perfect display of the cultures philosophies on death in that it is something to both mourn and celebrate.

Favorite Part: The trumpets that play throughout the song provided by the local band. I think it's way cool that he actually used an authentic group of musicians rather than come back to the States and hire random people to simply recreate the sound.

Vetiver - Everyday

2009-02-18T21:05:00.000-08:00

Everyday I'm away from you
Shakes me up inside

Vetiver dropped their 4th LP yesterday--Tight Knit. What initially interested me about the band was that Devendra Banhart appears on some of their songs. And since I love Devendra I thought I might like Vetiver as well. Turns out I do like Vetiver but it's still Devendra FTW!

Vetiver is the brainchild of the singer/songwriter Andy Cabic. Raised in northern Virginia, Cabic eventually moved to N. Carolina where he met future band members. After moving to San Francisco he began to recruit the likes of Devendra and Joanna Newsom to record the self titled debut album. In 2004 he also helped Devendra co-write "At the Hop" off Rejoicing in the Hands.

"Everyday" is the first single off their latest album. The album prior to this was a compilation of cover songs from the '60s and '70s. The songs on Tight Knit reflect Cabic's love for these eras. In fact, he is due to produce Vashti Bunyan's (the so called "God Mother of Freak Folk") next album.

Favorite Part: The very dreamy & happy feel the song has to it.

Incubus - Southern Girl

2009-02-16T22:45:00.000-08:00

So come outside and walk with me
We'll try each other on to see if we fit

If you read yesterday's post, I actually foreshadowed today's post on Incubus. Fascinating, isn't it? Seriously though, "Southern Girl" was an obsession of mine at one point. Incubus has a lot of other great songs. Any fan, or really, anyone that's ever heard even a few of their songs can tell you that. But this one just resonates with me.

Favorite Part: The lyrics. I don't know what it is about lyrics that can make a song 10x greater than if just the music was good. Scratch that, I think I do know. It's that it actually attaches meaning to the song and people can internalize it or relate to it, thus making it that much greater to them personally. Duh?

Today's post is short and sweet because I have to excitedly head off to the Glass House in Pomona for the Lykke Li show! =D

The John Butler Trio - What You Want

2009-02-16T11:50:00.001-08:00

But I could fly away
Or I could be no one

If you ever wondered how or why I choose the lyrics for each entry, I'll have to admit that it's for a different reason each time. Sometimes I just love those particular lines, sometimes I love the meaning, sometimes I can totally relate and a few times, I pick the only two that make any sense!

"What You Want" off the John Butler Trio's debut LP, Sunrise Over Sea, is probably my favorite song on the album. It's the second I ever heard by them and I instantly fell in love with it. Naturally, it grabbed my attention with the violins in the intro. It's definitely a song you would describe as "beautiful." It's well written musically and lyrically, not to mention Butler's amazing vocals, which remind me a lot of Brandon Boyd of Incubus.

Favorite Part: The way the instruments build and change starting around 3:20 until the end of the song.

Beastie Boys - The Gala Event

2009-02-13T22:03:00.001-08:00

The Beastie Boys have been around for a long time now, but not much has been heard from or by them in a while it would seem. Frankly, I can't recall any singles after the release of "Intergalactic," but my memory isn't the greatest. Despite the fact that they're not stomping the scene, the old school rappers are still making music and released an instrumental LP in 2007 titled The Mix-Up.

When I was handed this album during the Summer of '07 I was sort of caught off guard and confused because I had no idea it was even released. I was reluctant to listen to it but when I finally did I was genuinely impressed and found that I really enjoyed it. Apparently, these guys are pretty talented!

The album itself still contains obvious influences of hip hop mixed with soul/jazz and even some funk. It was sort of difficult picking just one song because it's one of those albums that you need to just pop in and listen to straight through. Nevertheless, I went with "The Gala Event."

Favorite Part: I love how all the elements flow so seamlessly together. And that goes more or less the same for all the songs on this album. The production is simply impressive.

Dan Auerbach - Trouble Weighs a Ton

2009-02-12T17:18:00.000-08:00

What's wrong dear mother?
Has your child disobeyed?

When I found out Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys was releasing a solo album I was excited because I absolutely love the Black Keys. At the same time, however, I was also weary because you really never know how solo efforts will go. Not that I was worried it was the end of the duo but that it would be disappointing and I'll just wish he'd spent the time with Patrick Carney instead. Fortunately, I enjoyed listening to Keep It Hid and will likely continue to do so.

"Trouble Weighs a Ton" is his first single off the album. It still contains many of the elements you hear in the Black Keys' music, primarily the influence of blues. However, this is one of the songs that actually strays away from their last album produced by Danger Mouse--Attack & Release. It's much mellower than the songs on that album. Ultimately, however, Keep It Hid could just as easily have been a Black Keys album, which makes one wonder what drove Dan to go solo in the first place.

Below is the "unofficial" video that's been circulating with Dan's uncle, James Quine:

N.A.S.A. - Gifted

2009-02-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

N.A.S.A. (acronym for North America South America) is a collaborative project between Squeak E. Clean (producer for Show Your Bones) and DJ Zegon. The idea is to gather up an eclectic group of artists and showcase them on original tracks all on the same album at their own will. Thus, we have The Spirit of the Apollo. I never imagined that I'd hear the likes of Karen O and Ol' Dirty Bastard or The Cool Kids and Scarface on the same tracks outside of a Girl Talk album.

"Gifted" has been circulating around the blogosphere for months now and is unfortunately one of the few I can actually find a stream of. I really wanted to write about "Way Down" which features RZA, Barbie Hatch and John Frusciante but had no luck there. Luckily I really like "Gifted" as well. After all, it features Kanye West, Santogold and Lykke Li ... so how bad could it be? If you're interested in a full album review and hearing more from this duo click here.

CORRECTION: After posting this entry I ended up finding a stream of "Way Down." Click here to listen.

Favorite Part: Other than the sweet combination of artists I just love the production on this track. It's definitely one of those "feel good" songs that make you just want to get up and dance ... if dancing is your cup of tea. Otherwise you can still bob your head to it!

Stars - Personal

2009-02-10T17:41:00.000-08:00

Wanted: single F, under 33
Must enjoy the sun, must enjoy the sea

Yep, just as the lyrics and song title suggest, "Personal" is about two people who meet, or try to at least, through personal ads. Sounds a little cheesy or random at first but the Stars do a great job. Frontman Torquil Campbell and guitarist Amy Millan (also members of Broken Social Scene) take turns singing the verses, each representing the male and female characters in the song, respectively.

This song is pretty depressing, I have to admit. I mean, the mere idea of personal ads is already depressing for me because of how many desperate and lonely people there really are out there. Unfortunately, the characters in this song don't meet and fall in love. In the beginning we find out that the woman recently lost her husband and is grieving, not to mention that she's not particularly good looking. Later we discover that the man either wanted someone less physically heavy or emotionally heavy--or both! I guess it's up to the listener to decide.

Favorite Part: I've always loved the concept and lyrics to this song. The music is good too but nothing spectacular. It fits well though.

Blink 182 - All of This

2009-02-09T16:09:00.001-08:00

Another night with her
But I'm always wanting you

Am I the only one that was shocked by Blink 182's appearance last night? I mean, was everyone aware that they're actually going to release another album? I'll be upfront: I was never a huge fan of Blink. Their silly juvenile songs were catchy but by no means exceptional. It wasn't until the last album they recorded together, blink 182, that I actually listened to them--a lot, surprisingly. Thus, I'm probably not a "true fan" and, well, what do you know ... I wasn't claiming to be one! Regardless, I'm genuinely interested to see what they'll come up with. Their last album was a sign of maturity and their individual side projects confirm that they've grown as musicians. Anyway, I'm getting seriously side tracked here ...

One of the interesting elements to "All of This" is Robert Smith's appearance. Essentially, the song sounds more like one by The Cure than it does Blink 182 and not just because of Smith's vocals. Smith provides most of the vocals in the song, with Tom only singing during the chorus. The line, "Use me Holly," is supposed to refer to his ex who used him to get to his older brother. But I don't actually know if that's true. Wikipedia told me!

Favorite Part: I think the song is well put together overall but I really like how they used Smith's vocals on this. I don't know if they wrote the song and then decided he'd be a perfect fit or wrote it with him in mind. Either way, it was a brilliant decision.

Thursday - Porcelain

2009-02-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

When people die
They take a piece of us with them

Sometimes it can be difficult for me to be truly inspired by an artist to actually write about them that day. In the case of Thursday, it was more a feeling of nostalgia that brought me to it because, truth be told, I feel very over my "post-hardcore/screamo" days. It's weird to think how much I absolutely loved Thursday in high school, but now, don't even seem phased by the fact that they're playing a show in LA in two weeks and have a new album coming out. Still, I can't say that I hate them and occasionally, like today, remember how much I liked them and thought I'd pay tribute.

"Porcelain" is from their debut LP--Waiting. It's not so much that this is my favorite song but found that this would be one of the ones that would always just be stuck in my head. I think it's pretty definitive of Thursday's earlier music even though I don't personally feel that they've changed dramatically in their style--only evolved and matured. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and probably great for die hard fans who fell in love with Thursday during their first two albums. For me, it's gotten a bit old.

What further pushed me to do a post on them today is this music video I saw for "In Silence" off their new album--Common Existence. I found the video and music to be very captivating. Compared to the other two tracks I heard off the new album, this actually hints that the band might actually be doing more than evolving but actually experimenting a bit. Either way, I dig it. Check it out:

Feist - So Sorry

2009-02-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

We're slaves to our own forces
We're afraid of our emotions

I was recently listening to The Reminder and realized how much I like Feist but have yet to write a post on her. Let me start off by stating how much I love her voice. Her and Cat Power have such soulful vocals that make you just wanna lie down in a hammock and listen to them on a warm Spring day. "So Sorry" is definitely one of these songs and always been a favorite of mine.

One of the great aspects of this song is the lyrics. I think everyone agrees that it can be nice to sometimes listen to a song and fully understand it cause the lyrics are relatively straight forward. There are no complex metaphors, nonsense or references so obscure only the writer themselves knows and understands.

Favorite Part: The simplicity of this song makes it so beautiful. Of course, without Feist's great vocals it would be very average.

Howie Day - Bunnies

2009-02-04T18:55:00.000-08:00

I am skipping lyrics for "Bunnies" because, frankly, I hear one thing and the lyrics online tell me another and I'm just not convinced. Plus, they are really besides the point. I'm not particularly familiar with Howie Day's music. My boyfriend played The Madrigals EP for me recently and when I heard this song I fell in love instantly. I've been listening to it everyday since.

Now, if I saw Howie Day on the street I'd probably brush him off as some lame pretty boy who thinks he can play guitar and sing. But when I heard this song I was convinced otherwise. However, even the audio doesn't do it full justice, which is why I've posted a video of a live performance and it's absolutely mind blowing. If you pay attention, you'll notice he's the only one on stage but the song has a lot going on. Luckily the video I found is a great one and actually shows you how he achieved playing all the different parts himself. Just watch. It's seriously amazing.

Kleerup feat. Lykke Li - Until We Bleed

2009-02-03T16:50:00.000-08:00

Then love until we bleed
Then fall apart in parts

I have no idea why I didn't post this song sooner considering its taken the Internets by storm. But I have been obsessed with it since it did. Special thanks to Luis over at PMA! for introducing me to it.

Kleerup is a Swedish producer who made his first breakthrough on Swedish pop star Robyn's track "With Every Heartbeat." On his self-titled debut LP released last year he teamed up with another Swedish pop star, Lykke Li for the amazing "Until We Bleed." I have now used "Swedish" more times than I ever have, or ever will, again. Also, I fucking love Lykke Li.

Favourite Part: How he perfectly matched the music to Lykke Li's style. After all, that is the duty of a producer but they don't all seem to get that.

Just listen:

Minus the Bear - Part 2

2009-01-30T16:54:00.001-08:00

Between warm sake
And street light caught in falling snow

Minus the Bear formed in 2001 in Seattle, Washington. After releasing an EP and touring they entered the studio to record their debut LP--Highly Refined Pirates. One of the most interesting aspects of this band is their song titles. Ranging from "Just Kickin' It Like a Wild Donkey" to "You Kill Bugs Good, Man," you'd think they're just one big joke. I assure you that, musically, they're not and can, in fact, be quite complex.

"Part 2," from their third LP, Planet of Ice, does not actually have a Part 1 to it as far as I know. Just in case you were wondering. It's a pretty mellow and somewhat atmospheric song. I love the mix of both acoustic and electric guitar.

Favourite Part: About 2.5 minutes in, the music gets a little aggressive and the song reaches it's climactic point. I particularly like the lead guitar riff during this section.

Doves - Friday's Dust

2009-01-29T21:23:00.000-08:00

All the toys and creature comforts
All the dreams they can rupture

I listened to The Last Broadcast by the Doves back when it came out in 2002. It never fully grew on me. Not because it sucked but it just didn't stand out as anything amazing or different at the time. I ended up shrugging it off as a Coldplay rip off, which is a statement I could just as easily retract if I gave the album another chance now. However, the one song that really stood out to me as different and continues to do so 'til this day is "Friday's Dust."

The song starts off like a scene from a horror movie where you're on the edge of your seat and feeling really uneasy because you suspect something horrible is about to happen. Just when you can't take anymore, everything calms down but that eerie quality doesn't disappear. Even the vocals at times have this ghost-like tone to them.

Favourite Part: The entire song just has this hauntingly beautiful quality to it with it's grand orchestral arrangements.

The Doves have a new album, Kingdom of Rust, that is due to release later this year.

Sandpeople - Lose It

2009-01-28T21:55:00.000-08:00

But hip hop's more than a buck
It's an art form that I love

I'll admit I'm slightly confused as to who exactly comprises Sandpeople. According to the one and only bio I found on them, it appears as though they are a collection or "crew." So something like Wu-Tang perhaps. What I do know is that they are from the Pacific Northwest and talented rappers that continue to rhyme despite their empty wallets. And that's pretty much what "Lose It" is all about.

I always enjoyed discovering or simply knowing what song is being sampled in a hip hop track. For those who aren't familiar with John Lennon's solo work, the high pitched voice singing, "I began to lose control" is a Lennon sample from his song "Jealous Guy."

Favourite Part: The synergy between the rappers. It's always annoying when you have more than one rapper in the song but only one of them is actually good and the rest feel like they don't belong.

Gogol Bordello - Punk Rock Parranda

2009-01-27T16:30:00.000-08:00

And if your spouse doesn't play a sitar
Don't expect a lot of commitment

When I first heard that "gypsy punk rock" exists I thought it was too good to be true. Lo and behold it is both too good AND true! Enter: Gogol Bordello. As bizarre of a concept as it may seem, it almost makes sense. Gypsies have no regard for authority or "laws" and isn't that what punk rock is built on more or less?

The band formed in New York but many of its members come from Eastern Europe. Lead singer, Eugene Hutz (who can be seen as the aspiring rapper in Everything Is Illuminated) was born and raised in Ukraine but lived in various countries throughout Europe before finally settling in the U.S. All band members bring with them their love for their own culture's music combined with their awesome musicianship.

"Punk Rock Parranda" off Multi Kontra Culti Vs. Irony perfectly displays the band members Eastern European influences. I'm sure those familiar with Flogging Molly will draw a comparison but all one needs to do is listen to Hutz's accent to be reminded that these guys are definitely not Irish. The lyrics throughout this song and the entire album are very quirky and often bring a smile to my face.

Favourite Part: How ridiculously untamed this song is. I can only imagine how crazy their concerts must be and kick myself for not going to their last show. I've heard they're absolutely amazing live so if you ever get the chance I'd highly urge you to go.

For anyone interested, Gogol Bordello is featured in a movie directed by Madonna and starring Eugene Hutz titled Filth and Wisdom. I haven't seen it myself but figure it can't be horrible when you have a band like Bordello in it and lines like, "If you want to touch the sky, fuck a duck and try to fly."

Birdy Nam Nam - New Birth

2009-01-26T21:06:00.000-08:00

Today marks the 100th post on this blog! I demand cookies!! Thanks for all those who've stopped by and continue to stop by. Hope I continue to make your ears quiver with joy. I must admit it was weird not posting over the weekend. I got so accustomed to writing on here everyday save for the occasional lapses due to life. But onward we go!

Birdy Nam Nam is a group of four DJs from France. Their music is created entirely from turntables as you can see in the picture. Despite being turntablists their songs aren't filled with scratching but are actually well composed and filled with all sorts of influences. The entire album is super mellow and something that's definitely "chill" inducing. And I don't mean the kind of chill you'd get on a winter night. Their name comes from a line in Peter Seller's movie--The Party. I saw this movie when I was a kid and remember thinking it was hilarious. Unfortunately I have no recollection of anyone saying "birdy nam nam" in it. But then again, I barely remember most of the movie. ANYWAY ...

"New Birth" is off their self titled debut album. It's a good example of how they fuse elements of jazz with various sound bites to form some sort of "trip hop" like track.

Favourite Part: I really dig the saxophone that plays throughout the song.

The Decemberists - We Both Go Down Together

2009-01-23T18:02:00.000-08:00

Meet me on my vast veranda
My sweet untouched Miranda

The Decemberists are now the second artist to appear twice on this blog (Radiohead was the first). I tried for a while to not repeat artists but I realized that most music blogs repeat artists several times. Given the nature of mine I thought it would be nice if I didn't but some artists have way too many great songs.

I have been obsessed with "We Both Go Down Together" for quite some time now but found that I've been revisiting it a lot lately. It's one of those extremely well rounded songs. The music, vocals and lyrics are all great. The music is rather upbeat for what the song is actually about, but the strings in the background provide a more somber touch. It has a very orchestrated feel to it that both lifts you and brings you back down. I might be alone in this but I seriously get goosebumps almost every time I listen to it. I especially love the part about 2 minutes into the song where the music strips down to just drums and guitar and then builds back up.

Favourite Part: The lyrics. As I mentioned, I definitely feel this is a well rounded song and I absolutely love the music, but I always find that I'm lost in the story Meloy sings about.

For something a little more "fresh," click here to listen to the first single off the Decemberist's next album, The Hazards of Love, due to release March 24.

On a more "administrative" note for lack of better words, I have decided to reduce my posts to 5 days a week instead of the usual 7. I know this conflicts with the "daily" aspect and I probably should have thought of this before I came up with that title. Then again I probably did but had more time on my hands then. Always think ahead people! Anyway, I hope this doesn't deter you from visiting often. I'll be posting Mondays through Fridays and hopefully use the weekends to at least determine which songs I'm going to post. Feel free to leave me nasty comments if you think this is a bad idea. Otherwise, thank you for understanding. Good night and good luck.

Dead Man's Bones - In the Room Where You Sleep

2009-01-22T21:23:00.000-08:00

I realize the format of this blog is different from my other one's. Do not be alarmed. All Hell has not broken loose. It did so a long time ago actually ....

Dead Man's Bones is Ryan Gosling's and his best friend's, Zach Shields, brain child. It involves a children's choir and instruments they can barely play. The idea is to create a concept album about the supernatural involving all of the aforementioned. Hence, the creepy looking kids in the picture above from the Silverlake Conservatory which was co-founded by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Gosling and Shields have taken a very DIY approach to the album after frustrations working with professionals. Several rules were established prior to recording including a 3-take limit on each song. "In the Room Where You Belong" is the first song they've released to the public. You can watch the video here. Or simply listen to it here.

Favourite Part: Ryan Gosling [:

Gangi - Waiting on the Line

2009-01-21T20:34:00.000-08:00

A puppet hanging
Waiting on the line

Gangi is a Los Angeles based duo who released their debut album, A, in Spring of 2008. Their music contains influences of psychedelic/garage rock mixed with some electronic genres. "Waiting on the Line" is a hard hitting rock track. You're either going to like or hate Matt Gangi's nasally vocals. I didn't say love or hate cause I can't imagine too many people loving his voice, but please feel free to prove me wrong. I had to listen to this song several times to fully absorb it cause it hits you with a force and you feel like you're caught in a whirlwind of noise. But not the kind you'll find on a Mars Volta album. There is definitely more of a structure to Gangi's music and not as much experimentation and "ambient" noise.

Favourite Part: Pretty much every part that doesn't contain vocals. I think I'm somewhere inbetween like and hate. I can definitely tolerate the vocals but I haven't reached the point where I can say without a doubt that I don't mind them.

As mentioned in Monday's post, Gangi will be performing at USC's Ground Zero this Saturday for free.

Andrew Bird - Effigy

2009-01-20T16:48:00.000-08:00

So when you come to burn my effigy
You should keep the flies away

Andrew Bird released his 5th LP today titled Noble Beast. A limited Deluxe Edition of the album includes a second disc, titled Useless Creatures, with instrumental tracks. For those who don't know him, Bird is a singer/songwriter and trained violinist from Chicago. He attended Wesleyan University but eventually graduated from Illinois' Northwestern University with a degree in violin performance. He also plays guitar, mandolin, glockenspiel and is pretty proficient in whistling. Makes for an interesting listen. "Effigy" stood out to me the most when I first listened to Noble Beast.

Favourite Part: It might be overkill for me to say that I love the violin cause I think it's apparent to anyone who reads this blog fairly frequently that I'm a sucker for violins. And as much as I do love the violin at the beginning, I would have to say that I love the entire intro to this song. I do love Birds voice and the remainder of the song, but I always find myself mesmerized by the intro.

You can stream the entire album here.

Other Lives - Black Tables

2009-01-19T18:23:00.000-08:00

When the whites of your eyes come through
You'll see something new

Other Lives began as an instrumental project under the name Kunek. After adding vocals and changing their name, they released their debut LP in 2008. Other than that I honestly can't find much information on them. And to be even more honest, I've only heard "Black Tables" by them. I liked it instantly and hope that you will too.

Favourite Part: The violin/piano combination of course.

For those who live in L.A. the Other Lives are playing a free show at Ground Zero along with Gangi and Army Navy this Saturday. Click here for more info.

Oh No! Oh My! - I Love You All the Time

2009-01-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

I love you all the time

Except when you drink wine

Oh No! Oh My! was formed by two best friends from Austin, Texas. For touring purposes they added a few more members to their group. All members play several instruments so I suppose you could say they're a talented bunch. Luckily they put their talents to good use fusing indie folk with electro pop. "I Love You All the Time" is a perfect example of this. Listen and hear for yourself.

Favourite Part: How this song just makes me want to get up and dance. Or just violently convulse.

Eels - Rags to Rags

2009-01-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

And one day I'll come through my American Dream

But it won't mean a fuckin' thing

The Eels are a band I found out about sort of randomly. I won't get into the details of it but my friend named them while playing a game and neither of us were sure if such a band even existed. He was a little more certain than I was. In fact, I was sure they didn't exist. The next day he proved it to me via, I believe, a link to their Last.fm page. Anyway, I ended up listening to their debut album, Beautiful Freak, and enjoyed it. Moral of the story: there isn't one!

Mark Oliver Everett, better known as simply "E," is the mastermind behind the Eels. His story, at first, sounds like something we've heard before. He grew up tinkering with the instruments in his home and developed a love for music thanks to his sister's record collection. However, E has had a life filled with several tragedies. His father died while he was a teenager, which only further fueled his already "troubled" life. After releasing Beautiful Freak, both his sister and mother died.

Despite these unfortunate circumstances, E continued to write music and has released several LPs. The Eels songs also comprise most of the soundtrack to Jim Carrey's Yes Man. As a matter of fact, their songs appear on a lot of soundtracks including all three Shrek movies, American Beauty, Hot Fuzz, Hell Boy II, etc. "Rags to Rags" is a great number reminiscent of '90s alt rock because that is, in fact, what it is.

Favourite Part: When the music pauses around 2:43 and the drums and electric guitar come crashing back down.

Brand New - Sowing Season

2009-01-16T19:30:00.000-08:00

Time to get the seeds into the cold ground

It takes a while to grow anything

I first got into Brand New during high school with the release of their second LP--Deja Entendu. I was definitely more into the whole "emo" genre although I assure you I wasn't slitting my wrists nor covering my face with my hair. I just enjoyed a lot of the bands that were popular around that time (i.e. Taking Back Sunday, The Used, Thursday). So I thought I'd pay homage to those days although they are long behind me.

Despite those days being long gone, I still really like Brand New's third album--The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. Intense title, I know. Some of you might be rolling your eyes, but I think you should give them a try. This album shows a lot of maturity and growth and is way more accessible to those who were never quite fond of the scene. The band has shed their pop-punk style and instead opt for a more layered and textured sound with elements of indie rock. Front man Jesse Lacey pours his heart out into the lyrics that cover life, death, religion, and of course, the self.

The album opens with "Sowing Season (Yeah)" and immediately captures the listener. Lacey is practically whispering over a very hushed guitar. Singing about losing friends and trying to live a better life. Suddenly the song shifts and is filled with Lacey's anguished vocals combined with heavier guitar and drums.

Favourite Part: The combined dynamics of the vocals and music.

Ingrid Michaelson - Corner of Your Heart

2009-01-15T20:22:00.000-08:00

There is room beneath your bed just for me

I will leave this town just to sleep underneath your bed

I was really feeling female vocals today so I decided to listen to Girls and Boys--Ingrid Michaelson's 2nd full length LP. I came to realize that I can really respect her as an artist. She's a talented musician, has a great voice and I love her lyrics. She's definitely received some acclaim via Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill, but I think she deserves more and will hopefully get it in the years to come. Anyone else agree??

"Corner of Your Heart" really stood out to me this time around. It's a great display of her music/lyric writing skills. The song is about a woman who loves another man so much she'd be willing to give up anything, even the one she's with, to be with him.

Favourite Part: The way the piano sounds as though it's in another room at the beginning of the song but then creeps in closer towards you and the vocals do the same. I'm sure there's some fancy schmancy technical term for this but fuck that shit. [:

Music for Animals - Rice Fields

2009-01-14T19:03:00.001-08:00

Did you have to take an American name

That you read in a caption of a fashion magazine

So I'm slightly confused. When I set out to recommend the political "Rice Fields," I was basing it on the version I have. But when I set out to find a link for you to actually hear the song the version I found was completely different. Where as the one I have is entirely acoustic, the one I found isn't.

Instead, the song starts off with mellow drums and is slowly met by an electric guitar that only creeps in at first. It's hard to say right now, but I think I definitely dig this version more. It definitely shows some sort of maturity or evolution in Music for Animals' songs. I'm guessing the copy of the album I have wasn't "official" and that they re-recorded some of the tracks and then released it. I wish you could compare for yourselves but this new and improved version will do. Hope you like it!

The band of four formed in San Francisco and have decided to take their career into their own hands by utilizing the current technological resources available to musicians for self promotion.

Ugly Casanova - Barnacles

2009-01-13T18:20:00.001-08:00

I don't know me and you don't know you

So we fit so good together

Ugly Casanova is Issac Brock's of Modest Mouse side project. Legend has it that Brock was inspired by a Modest Mouse fan named Edgar Graham who followed the band around on tour, writing lyrics in a journal and recording songs. He then disappeared but his music lives on in Brock's recordings that are supposedly based on Graham's journal/recordings. Graham went by the name "Ugly Casanova."

Only one album was ever released under this moniker and that was in 2002--titled Sharpen Your Teeth. "Barnacles " was a track that was requested by someone during one of my shows while DJ-ing at KSCR. I was always worried that someone would request a song and it would turn out to be garbage and I wish I'd never played it. But I really liked this song and decided to listen to the rest of the album. If you like Modest Mouse, I can't imagine why you wouldn't like Ugly Casanova.

Jack Johnson - The News

2009-01-12T18:23:00.000-08:00

A billion people died on the news tonight

But not so many cried at the terrible sight

Am I the only one that feels they can't listen to Jack Johnson unless it's sunny outside? Or a warm day? I'm sure many people listen to him rain or shine, but his music is so bubbly and warm that I never consider listening to him on a cold day. Interestingly he's made quite the name for himself for writing such simple songs.

"The News" is an example of one of these simple songs. Also an example of how he can put you to sleep with his singing. I don't mean that in a bad way though. He just has an extremely soothing voice. But I'd like to take a moment and point out how I find it really odd that he sings "the unobtrusive tones" in two different songs from the same album--Brushfire Fairytales. Did he think I wouldn't notice!? Anyway, I've always really liked "The News." I always felt the quiet guitar and vocals were a perfect combination for such a sad song.

Favourite Part: How the song sounds like a lullaby. If it wasn't for the lyrics I might not find this aspect so great, but I can just picture him as a boy with his head on his mom's lap while she sings him to sleep and the TV flashes with the news. It makes for an interesting listen.

Queens of the Stone Age - Mosquito Song

2009-01-11T22:59:00.000-08:00

We all will feed the worms and trees

So don't be shy

I turned the radio on this morning because I was too lazy to plug in my iPod and was pleasantly surprised to hear "Go With the Flow" by Queens of the Stone Age. It felt like ages since I'd last heard that song. I also had the sudden urge to play it on Rock Band. I then recalled how my friend (hi Narek!) had sent me "Mosquito Song" (you might have to scroll down and click on the song) and remembered how much I like it. True story.

Favourite Part: The heavily orchestrated part starting around 3:05. Sounds almost Medieval.

I decided to read up on the band a little bit and discovered they're from Palm Springs. Honestly, I never imagined a band would come out of that place. Or anything good for that matter. I also discovered that they're often referred to as "stoner rock," which is totally lame. Luckily front man Josh Homme seems to think so himself and has this to say:

"The term sucks. The only element of the audience I want to get rid of is the shirtless, sweaty, maxi-mullet jock dudes. We want sex to bleed into the music. At our shows, we want to see half boys and half girls in a utopian world, dancing and drinking."

Cool beans.

Radiohead - All I Need

2009-01-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

I'm an animal

Trapped in your hot car

You know that feeling when you're in love like you want to just stand on top of a mountain and yell for all the world to hear and know? That's how I feel about Radiohead. There is just this indescribable feeling I get when listening to them. The only thing I can associate it with is being in love, which is weird--maybe? [shrugs] And this is why Radiohead is officially the first artist to appear TWICE on this blog! (See: first)

"All I Need" is absolutely and totally eargasmic. Every second of it is pure ecstasy to me and I only love them even more when I listen to it. I am truly In Rainbows. The lyrics are one of my favourite parts about the song. Thom Yorke begins the song describing a desperate seemingly unrequited love for another. But then he sings, "I only stick with you because there are no others." This makes the listener wonder if he really is in love. To me, it only further shows the desperation and "need" he has for the beloved.

Favourite Part: When the piano enters and the drums pick up. Ah ... bliss.

Radiohead used this song for a music video on MTV aimed at rasing awareness on human exploitation and trafficking. Maybe not what you had in mind for this song, but check it out anyway:

Scars on Broadway - World Long Gone

2009-01-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

Maybe I don't know, how many people are starving

In this world long gone

Scars on Broadway released their self-titled debut album last year. For fans of System of a Down that liked the album, I think it was somewhat of a relief. SOB is comprised of the former guitarist (Daron Malakian) and drummer (John Dolmayan) of SOAD. Former front man, Serj Tankian released his a solo LP and former bassist, well ... who cares. I think many fans of SOAD were pretty disappointed with Serj's album. When SOB released their debut, it was received well by fans because, if you ask me, it sounded a lot like what you'd expect the next SOAD album to sound like if they were still together. Ok, way too many acronyms ...

"World Long Gone " is one of my favourite tracks off their album. It's still reminiscent of SOAD but without Serj's operatic outbursts. Instead we have Daron who shifts his singing perfectly to match the dynamics of the song. The song rocks hard but is spotted with short breakdowns. All in all it's short and sweet.

Favourite Part: That the song doesn't rock as hard as the first 15-20 seconds but alternates and has some balance.

Least Favourite Part: Whoever the fuck keeps repeating Daron in the background vocals.

So I just discovered this was their 2nd single. Way to kill my post.

Spoon - Rhthm & Soul

2009-01-07T18:50:00.000-08:00

Oh you know

Mmm the rhythm and soul

You know those albums/bands you don't immediately grasp or fall in love with? The ones that sort of grow on you and make you wonder how you didn't hear their awesomeness the first time around? Well, Spoon is one of those bands for me. More specifically, their latest album (released in 2007)--Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. That was rather annoying to type by the way. But in case you're wondering, they got the album title from the melody of one of the album's songs.

It's not that I hated the album when it first came out. I just didn't really pay attention when listening the first few times. On the surface it seemed sort of average. But then I listened to it on my headphones while cleaning which allowed me to give it my undivided attention and I started to realize that there is more to this album than meets the ear. I won't get into an entire album review though, because that's not the point of this blog.

"Rhthm & Soul" seems a more appropriate (not to mention more pleasant to say) title for the Ga Ga LP. Britt Daniel sings with a lot of soul and I love the rhythm found in each song. They played this and "Don't Make Me A Target" live several times before going into the studio to record the final product.

Favourite Part: I love all the subtle sound effects that come in and out of the song.

On an interesting side note: Daniel loves Arrested Development, which automatically makes him cool. Apparently Michael Cera seems to think so as well. In an interview Daniel admitted to Cera emailing him through Gmail to tell him that he thinks he's "one of the coolest cats on Gmail." Ha, what a Michael Cera thing to say. Guess he is as big of a dork as he plays in the show.

The Roots - In the Music

2009-01-06T17:23:00.000-08:00

They say the city make a dark impression

The youth just lost and they want direction

"Hip hop bands" are few. In fact, the only legitimate one that I've personally listened to and been a fan of is the Roots. Their live shows are some of the best in hip hop. I was fortunate enough to catch them at Coachella for the first time in '07 but unfortunate because they only played a few of their own songs. I guess cause the audience didn't consist of their usual fan base and thought they'd entertain the masses with covers. Although they were amazing I was pretty disappointed cause I was hoping they'd play a lot of songs off their most recent album at the time--Game Theory.

I wish I could convince you to just buy this album and listen to it on high volume in your car. It's a damn good listen from beginning to end with the songs flowing in and out of each other. I had to listen to this album again twice before I could settle on one song. I chose "In The Music" simply for the following reason:

Favourite Part: The drums. Anyone who knows the Roots knows Questlove is a very talented drummer. I love the way the drums in this track sound like trash cans. The music video reveals that this is in fact what they were aiming for.

Unfortunately I couldn't find a stream of the song so I opted to post this video instead. On the bright side, you get to sample 3 tracks off the album as opposed to the usual 1 that I post. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the 3 they chose and how they mixed them but it is what it is. "In the Music" is the first song:

Travis - The Humpty Dumpty Love Song

2009-01-05T22:52:00.000-08:00

All of the kings horses & all of the kings men

Couldn't pull my heart back together again

So this is going to be a bit of a cop-out of an entry due to the fact that I had a busy day and was out for the most of it. It is now nearing midnight and I just want to knock out. So here goes ...

"The Humpty Dumpty Love Song " by Travis is not a joke. I know the title is odd but it's a cute song. Seriously. Instead of an egg it's about someone's heart. Lead singer Fran Healy wears his heart on his sleeve in this song off their 3rd LP--The Invisible Band. I was actually surprised to discover that the group of four from Glasgow have 6 albums to their discography. Unfortunately I have no clue if they're any good. I just like this song and a handful of others.

Favourite Part: The chorus and the string arrangement in the background.

I also just remembered this great live cover of Britney's "Baby One More Time." Check it out:

Hm. That wasn't so bad after all. Good night!

Eddie Vedder - Society

2009-01-04T13:18:00.000-08:00

You think you have to want more than you need

Until you have it all you won't be free

Let me start off by saying that I hope you've seen Into the Wild. If you have, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If not, then watch it!! And don't worry, there aren't any spoilers in this entry. I fucking hate spoilers!! Moving on ...

The Into the Wild OST is one of my favourite soundtracks. I like every single song on it and the bare acoustic guitar and vocals by Eddie Vedder, who wrote all the songs save for two covers, is a perfect match for the movie. What I love about "Society" is that you don't need to hear it in the context of the movie to fully understand it. Sure, it might make more sense and be extremely relevant to the movie and the life of Chris McCandless, but it's great as a stand-alone track as well.

Favourite Part: Vedder's vocals. I mean, I love everything about this song but his voice just makes this song so much more emotional and I think he sounds beautiful.

Society - Eddie Vedder

Grizzly Bear - He Hit Me

2009-01-03T17:39:00.000-08:00

He hit me and it felt like a kiss

He hit me and I knew he loved me

"He Hit Me" might be one of the least likely candidates for a Grizzly Bear recommendation to some, but not for me. This isn't to say that it's my favourite by them or think it's even remotely definitive of their style. After all, the song is actually a cover of the Crystals who originally wrote it in '62. I personally really like their own take on it musically.

Favourite Part: Definitely the lyrics. I mean, they were definitely more powerful & meaningful when written by a group of four black women in the '60s, but now I just find it hilarious to hear a group of four white guys singing the same song. Is this wrong of me?

He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss) - Grizzly Bear

I came across this video of Feist performing the famous "1234" on "The Today Show" with Grizzly Bear doing backup vocals and hand claps in the background. Just thought I'd share it with you:

Cut Copy - Lights & Music

2009-01-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

Lights and music on my mind

Be my baby one more time

As I typed the second line from the lyrics above I thought of "Hit me baby one more time" and I almost wanted to forget doing this post entirely. Just thought I'd share that thought with you ...

Whoever said disco was dead (did someone even say that?) was wrong. Sort of. It's not quite dead ... but actually reincarnated in the form of electro/synth pop in the rise of such acts as Cut Copy and Hercules and Love Affair. The former is an Australian trio who made their debut in 2004 with Bright Like Neon Love. "Lights & Music" is from their latest album, In Ghost Colours, released last year (that's 2008 for those of you who aren't used to the fact that it's 2009).

Favourite Part: The way the song builds up each time right before the chorus.

Lights And Music - Cut Copy

U2 - New Years Day

2009-01-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

Nothing changes

On New Years Day

I was debating whether it's totally lame of me to post this song today simply because it's titled "New Years Day" and today is, after all, just that. Happy New Year everyone! Anyway, I got over it and figured I really like this song so what does it matter when I post it?

I always felt that U2 was before my time. That I'm too young to fully appreciate U2, even though I can listen to a plethora of classic rock bands and love them. That U2 is for people in their 30s and 40s. In the end, it's just one of those bands whose importance I understand in the context of music but one I've never personally listened to much. Nevertheless, I've always liked the song "New Year's Day" from their third LP--War.

Even though I could try and write my own opinion of the song, nothing really tops the own song writer's opinion. The following is by Bono from the book In His Own Words: "'New Years Day' is a love song. Subconsciously, I must have been thinking about Lech Walesa being interned and his wife not being allowed to see him. Then when we released the song, they announced that martial law would be lifted in Poland on New Year's Day." For those who don't know, Lech Walesa was the former president of Poland.

This song is U2's first hit single and was the first one that landed on the Billboard Hot 100. It's their 3rd most frequently performed live song. While performing, The Edge switches back and forth between piano and guitar. Bono has also played guitar in some of their earlier performances.

Favourite Part: I love everything The Edge does with his guitar and keyboard in this song.

New Years Day - U2

Muse - Showbiz

2008-12-31T15:40:00.000-08:00

They make me, make me dream your dreams

They make me, make me scream your screams

I couldn't let the year end without posting a song by Muse. Unfortunately, I have to leave the house way sooner than I expected so I can't go on for too long. I'll try to stick to the point ...

There are a lot of bands that are praised for being "different" or for being "experimental." Muse on the other hand isn't really either of these and I say this rather loosely. They're a pretty straight forward band save for Matt Bellamy's amazing piano skills. And it's hard to claim they're different when everyone and their moms keep comparing them to Radiohead. Really, I get it. But as huge fans of both bands, its gotten rather tiresome. The fact that Muse even have a lot of radio friendly hits doesn't make them less appealing at all. In fact, Muse fucking rocks! Side note: if you ever get a chance to see them live--DO IT! Seriously.

Ok so I slightly side-tracked a bit, but it's hard to recommend a song by a band you absolutely love without providing some sort of commentary. "Showbiz" is from their debut LP also titled Showbiz. Unfortunately it doesn't display Bellamy's "amazing piano skills" that I mentioned earlier, but it does have the high energy music and angsty vocals that are characteristic of Muse.

Favourite Part: The guitar shredding that begins around 3:49.

I also couldn't let the year end without doing some sort of "Best of 2008" list(s). You can check out my top 5 (in no particular order) albums/songs/movies here.

Showbiz - Muse

Elliott Smith - Waltz #2 (XO)

2008-12-30T18:19:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad that my memory's remote

Cause I'm doing doing just fine hour to hour, note to note

Steven Paul Elliott Smith was found dead at the age of 34 in Los Angeles on October 21, 2003 from two stab wounds to the chest. The coroner was never able to determine whether the wounds were self-inflicted or not. It's been theorized that they were due to Smith's alcoholism, drug addiction, depression and that time he literally ran off a cliff. But that's besides the point. Elliott Smith left behind a legacy that includes a plethora of great songs that not many can accomplish in their entire lifetime.

"Waltz #2 (XO)" is off his 4th LP, XO, and was the first to be released by a major label. As the song title suggests, the music does in fact have a waltz-like feel to it, but with his personal folk/acoustic touch. According to Wikipedia, the song was inspired by a memory of Smith watching his mother and stepfather at a karaoke bar in Texas as a child. The original draft for the lyrics contained "I love you, mom." I have no clue if this information is true, but it's interesting nonetheless!

Favourite Part: When Smith sings, "I'm never gonna know you now//But I'm gonna love you anyhow."

Waltz #2 (XO) - Elliott Smith

Dinosaur Jr. - What If I Knew

2008-12-29T14:53:00.000-08:00

Waiting, fading, contemplating all my love

Penetrated by a wasteland I've become

If you haven't heard of Dinosaur Jr., it's not that surprising; even though the band has been around since the mid-'80s. Unlike their counterparts of the time (the Pixies, Nirvana, etc.), Dinosaur Jr. managed to always remain in the sidelines, never quite making it in the limelight. This isn't because they weren't good but had more to do with lead singer/guitarist J. Mascis. Cult followers of the band place Mascis on a pedestal, but he was never quite comfortable or happy with fame. By the late '90s, Mascis decided to break up the band (originally named Dinosaur until sued by a band by the same name). He launched his solo career under the moniker J. Mascis + The Fog. It was a brief career due to a severe accident while on tour in Sweden which resulted in two cracked vertebrae.

Beyond is the bands first album released two years after their reunion, but their 8th LP to date. After reuniting in 2005 to play some live shows, fans everywhere were surprised to hear that they would be releasing another album. Even more surprising (and most probably a relief) was how well received Beyond was. I think anyone whose ever been a fan of a musician/band that's returned after a break-up knows that it can be both exciting and nerve-wrecking when anticipating the album. There's always the fear that it might be a complete flop and you'll wish they'd have left things as is. Or in the words of Neil Young, "Burn out, not fade away."

"What If I Knew," off of Beyond, isn't necessarily the best track on the album. It's just one I picked at random to share because I had difficulty picking "the best." The vocals remind me somewhat of Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows, which I think is a good thing.

Favourite Part: Mascis' signature guitar style filled with distortion and feedback, of course.

Sufjan Stevens - For the Widows in Paradise ...

2008-12-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

I'll do anything for you

I did everything for you

Bloggers everywhere have had a love affair with Sufjan Stevens for years now. His debut in 2000 established him as a talented multi-instrumentalist, but it was with the release of his 3rd LP that Stevens began to really acquire much acclaim. Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lake State is the first in his "states project" (a series of albums focused on each of the 50 states in the US) and pays tribute to his home state. The most impressive part about this album is Stevens ability to play over 20 instruments. The lengthy titled "For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" is probably my favourite from the Michigan album.

Favourite Part: The banjo that is the backbone to the song.

When not working on an album, Stevens contributes music to benefit compilations, releases Christmas albums, is known to be a literary figure and has even written a short film score for Natalie Portman's Eve.

For the Widows in Paradise, For the - Sufjan Stevens

Azure Ray - Sea of Doubts

2008-12-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

He showed me death and said

This is how you know you're alive

Azure Ray is Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor. The two were originally part of Little Red Rocket until they disbanded and decided to release their self titled debut in 2001. They released their 2nd LP the year after that and their 3rd a year later. We didn't hear from them again until earlier this year when they played a few live shows, as both girls are now working on their own solo projects. You may also know them from their earlier collaborations with Bright Eyes and Now Its Overhead.

"Sea of Doubts" is from their 3rd album--Hold on Love. This is actually the only album of theirs that I've heard. It's also one of the most depressing albums I've heard. As unhappy as this song may sound, I think it's beautiful. The warm vocals of the girls, the piano melody, the violins in the background all come together so perfectly.

Favourite Part: The sighed "yeah" at 2:23 followed by the entrance of the drum rolls and ending with the girls singing "alive" in acapella.

Sea Of Doubts - Azure Ray

Happy Birthday Jebus!

2008-12-25T15:27:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Be sure to return tomorrow for regular posting.

Lost in the Trees - Tall Trees

2008-12-24T17:29:00.000-08:00

For time's all it takes

For me to heal the break

Not even a minute into this song I was already in love. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am a sucker for violins, and really, all string instruments. So when the string quartet entered "Tall Trees," I was instantly hooked. Lost in the Trees is a folk orchestra. Seriously. Having grown up listening to a lot of classical music and having a love for folk music, I am totally blown away by this group.

Favourite Part: The string quartet of course!!

Lost in the Trees is led by Ari Picker who was a member of the B-Sides and then the Never. His classical training at the Berklee College of Music is apparent in their debut album released last year--All Alone in An Empty House.

Wolf Parade - California Dreamer

2008-12-23T18:07:00.000-08:00

I carved your ever fading figure

Into the ever dying snow

Wolf Parade released their debut album in 2005 and it was great. It wasn't until 3 years later that they finally released their sophomore LP, At Mount Zoomer, which also turned out to be great. So thus far, the band of 4 from Montreal do not disappoint. After opening for The Arcade Fire and releasing an EP, they got the attention of Isaac Brock--front-man of Modest Mouse and A&R rep for Sub Pop Records. He signed them to the label and then helped produce Apologies to the Queen Mary. "California Dreamer" is one of my favourite tracks from Apologies. The album was recorded at Petite Église, the church in Quebec owned by the Arcade Fire.

Favourite Part: The entire second half of the song beginning with the explosion around 3:10.

California Dreamer - Wolf Parade

Battles - Race:Out

2008-12-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to post this Battles song for a while now. I'm not quite sure what has taken me so long. There are always so many songs I could choose from day to day. Part of it depends on my mood and what I feel like writing about. Anyway ...

I love the way Race : Out starts and builds up. It's a digital song at its core, but less than a minute into the song we're introduced to drum rolls. As the drums pick up their pace, the song shifts forward and the listener is thrown into some crazy whirlwind of keyboard tunes and spurts of electric guitar. Next thing you know the song just fades out and you're left with your pants down wondering--what the hell just happened? Ok, maybe you still have your pants on ...

Favourite Part: I'm a sucker for drums (along with piano and violins) and I just love the way they're utilized in this song.

Battles released their debut album, Mirrored, last year. They're a quartet of multi-instrumentalists who, prior to Battles, were members of other bands.

Race Out - Battles

Just as an FYI: from now on, if you don't see the little iMeem player embedded in the post, then the song title in the text will provide you with a link to another source for you to hear it. Otherwise the link will send you to Amazon.com where you can purchase the song. Hope that makes sense!

OutKast - Synthesizer

2008-12-21T16:42:00.000-08:00

Life is made of half illusion, forty percent confusion

Whatever's left I'm usin to keep myself from losin

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I wish I was writing about a new OutKast song. I'm hoping 2009 will be the year the Atlanta, Georgia duo will bless us with a new album. But until then, I have to pay tribute to one of my favourite rap groups of all time (with Andre 3000 being most probably my favourite rapper--period). I don't feel that I need to provide some sort of background information on them cause I'm confident that, by now, almost everyone has heard them. Whether it be from their OG Southernplayalisticcaddliacmusik days (have fun reading that) to "Ms. Jackson," to "Hey Ya," we're all more or less familiar with Andre 3000 and Big Boi.

I could pick so many songs by them and go on and on about them, but I'll try to keep to the point. "Synthesizer"(featuring George Clinton of the Parliament/Funkadelic) is one of the first rap songs I heard that, not only was "weird" but actually about a topic that is rarely ever rapped about. As the title suggests, this song is about all the fake/plastic people and things there are in this world. And if you ever don't like something about yourself, well, you can always count on science to provide you a new one. Even the beat is synthesized with robotic background vocals.

Favourite Part: Andre's entire verse starting around 2:06. His flow is fired up and his lyrics are, as always, great.

This song is a perfect example of how different OutKast is. I mean, they've even labeled themselves as pariahs. This track is from their third LP, Aquemini--a combination of the rappers signs. Now I'm gonna be honest, as much as I like OutKast as a whole, it's really Andre that does it for me. His lyrics are almost always more meaningful and clever than Big Boi's. But that's why they're a perfect balance for each other, cause we all know how much people seem to love rap songs about bullshit.

Although the duo have gone their seperate ways more or less, rumours have been flying around for almost two years now about a new album. And this time, it won't be two solo albums released as a double disc. In the meantime, Big Boi has been touring with the Atlanta Ballet company for his stage production, "Big." How cool is that?

Synthesizer - George Clinton

Klaxons - It's Not Over Yet

2008-12-20T18:17:00.000-08:00

I'll live for you

I'd die for you

Remember the Klaxons? They were huge last year after the release of their debut album--Myths of the Near Future. I recently realized I haven't heard anything from/about them since. So I decided to revisit their songs and remembered how much I love "It's Not Over Yet." From the siren-like intro to the get-up-and-dance chorus, I just really enjoy this song. The song itself is a cover from a Eurodance hit in the '90s titled "Not Over Yet" by Grace. You should totally click on that link and laugh at what a cheesy and typical 90s music video it is.

Favourite Part: The perfect combination of guitar rock and dance pop.

Its Not Over Yet - Klaxons

Okkervil River - A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene

2008-12-19T17:11:00.000-08:00

Love that is innocent, of that old cynical, covetous, cancerous vibe

And a beauty that annihilates all life

Okkervil River sounds like a melting pot of all your favourite indie bands, which makes them both great and trite. But with five albums under their belt, I suppose they deserve some cred for being more than some cheap knock-off. After moving to Austin, Texas, original band members Will Sheff (vocals/guitar) and Seth Warren (drums) decided to expand their band and released their first EP in '98. Their first three LPs helped solidify their presence in Texas, but it wasn't until the release of their fourth album in 2005 that they began to build one in the rest of the States. You can read their story on their website.

"A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene" is from their fourth album released last year--The Stage Names. The lyrics, something the band is praised for, are rather pessimistic, but the song has a lot going on in it and is rather upbeat compared to some of the other songs on this album.

Favourite Part: When Sheff says "... after fucking around countless nights." I don't quite know why, but I love when non-rappers occassionally cuss in their songs.

Similar to Radiohead's last tour, Okkervil River has set a goal to reduce their carbon footprint during the US tour. They hope to achieve this by partnering with local groups that advocate biking and carpooling. Pretty rad.

Speaking of rad: I'm going to try to embed a player like this from now so you no longer have to click outside of this blog to hear the track.

A Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene - Okkervil River

Russian Circles - Harper Lewis

2008-12-18T20:46:00.000-08:00

I realize instrumental music isn't for everyone. But for those who like it or are open to exploring the genre, the Russian Circles are pretty awesome. I realize there is a lot of vocal-less music in the electronica genre, but these guys are far from that. It would be easy to categorize them as metal, but they have the whole post-rock/experimental thing going as well--so don't write them off so quickly if you can't stand metal. I'm sure you won't get a headache.

"Harper Lewis" is from their second LP, Station, which they recorded in Seattle, Washington. Much like the remainder of the seven track album, this song is very layered and alternates from hard-hitting head banging to mellow breakdowns.

Favourite Part: The way the song constantly changes, builds up, breaks down and keeps you interested in what's next.

Originally from Chicago, the Russian Circles are a three piece band who've opened for such bands as Minus the Bear and Tool.

Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes

2008-12-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

I left my home to disappear is all

I'm here for myself, not to know you

As the end of the year approaches, music bloggers race to post their top ranked albums/tracks. For those who have been following any of these, you'll notice Santogold is splashed across the lists. She's definitely struck a chord with a lot of listeners this year with her self-titled debut album. Not to mention all the remixes and songs she's appeared on (i.e. "Gifted" featuring Lykke Li and Kanye West or "Get It Up" with M.I.A.). It's easy to think of her as an M.I.A. knock off but she's far from it. She's more a mix of M.I.A., Gwen Stefani, Janelle Monáe and Nelly Furtado, but with her own touch of course.

Santogold is comprised of Santi White and, usually, former band-mate John Hill. The two were originally part of a ska-punk band known as Stiffed. After some trouble with labels and finding the right producers, their first LP (originally titled Creator) was ready to be released in January 2008. However, the CD didn't hit shelves until April. By then, their first single "Creator" was already getting a lot of attention. "L.E.S. Artistes" is probably what really put her on the map this year though. Check out the awesome video as well.

Favourite Part: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs meets Tegan & Sara like beat.

For those who haven't noticed, I'd like to point out a somewhat new feature to my blog. After each entry you'll find a "Reactions" section where you can vote on how you felt about that days post. It's right after the list of tags. So, uh .. rock the vote?

Sia - Breathe Me

2008-12-16T18:22:00.000-08:00

I am small and needy

Warm me up and breathe me

The Australian born Sia began her career as a jazz singer for Crisp. After leaving the band and heading for London, she became a backup singer for Jamiroquai. Remember him? Soon she was in high demand to work with such artists as Massive Attack and Zero 7, but it wasn't until 2002 when she released her debut album--Healing is Difficult.

"Breathe Me" from her second LP, Colour the Small One, garnered more attention for her after it's use in the series finale for Six Feet Under. I realize I've been posting a lot of "old" songs lately, but I couldn't help but post this one. I love the piano and the sound of her voice. I also love how she sighs heavily right before singing to show just how vulnerable and needy she is.

Favourite Part: 3:07--The music calms down only to return full force a couple seconds later.

Sia released her fourth studio album this year. Check out the video for "Soon We'll Be Found." I like the extensive use of hands. Tune in tomorrow for something a little more "fresh."

Portishead - Glory Box

2008-12-15T15:16:00.000-08:00

I'm so tired of playing

Playing with this bow and arrow

I'd like to start off by explaining that yesterday's post on Estate's "Let Her Know" has been removed due to some violation of copyright infringement. I was informed via email and am not going to bother rewriting it but simply move on. I have added a disclaimer on this page informing all those who view it that I do not, by any means, advocate piracy and am simply here to provide a means for you to hear songs. Basically, free promotion for the artists. I still encourage that you legally purchase music. I know I still do. I just dig those compact jewel boxes. Anyway ... moving on.

I am by no means an expert or avid listener of "trip-hop," but find that I really like Portishead and want to further explore the genre. For those who aren't familiar with it at all, it's best described as experimental downtempo music with elements of jazz, soul, and funk and has a very ambient sound to it. Popular examples, other than Portishead, are Massive Attack, Tricky and U.N.K.L.E. Named after the shipping town near Bristol, England where one of the band members grew up, Portishead is said to have "popularized" trip-hop with the release of their debut album--Dummy. I think this is a great album and I highly recommend it. It's definitely one of the more accessible trip-hop albums for those who are new to it.

Prior to releasing their first LP, members Geoff Barrow and Beth Gibbons made a short film titled To Kill a Dead Man. It was some espionage type film, which is interesting because when listening to Dummy you often feel like your listening to a soundtrack to a spy film or James Bond. "Glory Box," from this album, was their second single and was featured in the film When The Cat's Away. It's also total baby making music.

Common - Testify

2008-12-13T13:16:00.000-08:00

Seen and been through struggle her whole life

Made a transition from being his ho to his wife

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for not posting a song yesterday. It was one of those hectic/busy days and I didn't get the chance to. For those who haven't noticed or caught on, everytime I post a song on here I also post a link on Twitter. On days like yesterday, when I don't have time to write an actual post I still recommend a song on Twitter. Yesterday, however, I did neither. My apologies.

Secondly, I had an extremely difficult time picking a single Common song for today's post. I have to admit my final decision was slightly random. The thing with Common is that his music career is very divided. When he first entered the scene as Common Sense in the early '90s, he was deep in the depths of the underground. Hailing from "Chi-City," he became pretty influential with his intelligent lyrics and soulful beats. He was a glimmer of hope in the otherwise commercialized rap genre. And he stayed this way for quite some time--four albums to be exact. It was with his fifth album, Electric Circus, that Common started to enter the mainstream world and stray away from the more urban sound he was known for thus far. It was this album that really divided his subsequent work and even his fans. Although gaining new ones, he also turned off a lot of his old ones--including myself.

It's not that I've hated his last four albums entirely or loved his first four exponentially more, it's just the frustration of knowing what he was that bothers me. Knowing how good he was before and how mediocre he is now. Don't get me wrong, he's still better than majority of the mainstream rappers out there so I still give him cred. But I've seen too many rappers emerge from the underground only to disappointment. So as much as I wanted to pick a song from his more underground days (i.e. "I Used to Love H.E.R.," "The 6th Sense," "Retrospect for Life"), I decided on "Testify" from his sixth album--Be.

I picked this song not only because of how much I actually like it, but to show that despite everything Common still can rhyme intelligently. Unfortunately, it's less common (no pun intended) lately. With the release of his 8th album earlier this week came a lot of disappointement. You can read a more in-depth review of the album that I did for Pretty Much Amazing! here. Anyway, "Testify" tells the story of a woman who pins her own crime on her husband and ends up fooling the court. The music video is clearly influenced by the movie The Usual Suspects, which is great by the way.

Coldplay - 42

2008-12-11T19:10:00.000-08:00

Those who are dead are not dead

They're just living in my head

Those are rather dark lyrics for Coldplay, come to think of it. "42" (Chris Martin's favourite number) begins with mournful piano, but as Martin laments about their being more to life the music suddenly picks up pace and is filled with crashing cymbals and electric guitar. That's pretty much what makes this song so great--the music is as emotional as the lyrics.

This is probably my favourite track off their latest album, Viva La Vida, a name borrowed from a Frida Kahlo painting. The cover art is also borrowed from an artist--Eugène Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People. If artsy is what the band was aiming for with this album, I think they accomplished it or at least came close. Produced by Brian Eno, the album features a lot more instrumental sections than their previous albums. The songs sound very orchestrated and perfect for filling up an arena. Unfortunately, I missed both their shows in L.A.

On an interesting side note, guitarist Joe Satriani filed a lawsuit against Coldplay for copyright infringement on the track "Viva La Vida," claiming that it incorporates "substantial original portions" of a song he wrote back in 2004. I'm assuming it's just a mere coincidence but I suppose you can hear for yourself. The band, of course, denies his accusations.

The Silver State - Under the Rug

2008-12-10T19:21:00.000-08:00

Leaving all your troubles where they belong

Under the rug

Truthfully, I can't tell you much about The Silver State. They released their first LP, Cut and Run, earlier this year and are from Brooklyn, New York. I can't find a bio or any other information of the sort to share with you. I can't even tell you that their debut was a great one, but I suppose it's promising. The next might be better or just another sophomore slump. With that said, "Under the Rug," (which you can check out by clicking on their name above) is one of the better tracks off the album. Come to think of it, my favourites were the opening and closing tracks. The middle seemed to just fade into the background. Makes me wonder if I just wasn't paying attention ...

Nah. I listened to this album more than once and it was the same every time.

Pretty Girls Make Graves - All Medicated Geniuses

2008-12-09T21:37:00.000-08:00

And you seem to sleep so much more soundly

To the song of other people's failures

Today's band is also from Washington (see: Death Cab). Named after either a Smith's song or a line from Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums, Pretty Girls Make Graves formed in Seattle in 2002. I've only actually heard their 2nd LP--New Romance. Even though I loved it I never had the opportunity, or really bothered, to hear the rest of their stuff. It's one of my biggest struggles in life really: finding time to hear every artist I'm interested in and then every album by every artist I like. I have a tough life.

I picked "All Medicated Geniuses" for its raw energy, which is pretty characteristic of PGMG. It's easy to compare them to Yeah Yeah Yeahs for the simple fact that both have a female lead singer. Honestly, I sometimes mix the two up. But anyway, they've got the whole new wave/post-punk thing going and they're good. 'Nuff said.

Well, I would like to add that the band ended their career after drummer Nick DeWitt decided to leave. They just couldn't go on without him. [tear]

Death Cab for Cutie - What Sarah Said

2008-12-08T17:32:00.001-08:00

Love is watching someone die

So who's gonna watch you die?

Wow. That's definitely the most emo sounding lyrics I've posted thus far. I always loved "What Sarah Said" and it still gives me goosebumps when I hear Ben Gibbard ask that question. I've always pondered the meaning of those two lines, but only recently understood them. Because even though it sounds like something from those corny but cute comics on "Love is ...," it's meaning is as simple as those comics make love out to be. Watching a loved one die is one of the toughest things one can experience in life, but we wouldn't do it if we didn't love them, right? Ok ... I'll stop being morbid and depressing. [:

I'm sure by now you've heard of and most likely even heard some songs by Death Cab for Cutie. But for those who don't know much about them, here are the facts:

The band was formed in Bellingham, Washington as a side project for frontman Ben Gibbard who was studying engineering at the time (1997).
After releasing eight songs on cassette (no joke), the band decided to become legit and gave themselves the title Death Cab for Cutie (named after a song by the Bonzo Dog Band (wtf?)).
They signed with Seattle-based Barsuk Records and released their debut LP, Something About Airplanes, in 1998.
Ben Gibbard continued to work on his side project: the Postal Service.
Fast forward: they released Plans, their 4th album and first under a major label in 2005. They remained on the Billboard charts for nearly a year, achieved platinum status, practically became the freakin soundtrack for the television series The O.C., and were nominated for a Grammy.
Blah blah blah ....

One of my favourite things about Death Cab are their lyrics. I love that they're simple yet descriptive and filled with meaning. I think this song is a perfect example.

Oh Captain My Captain - Big Vans and Aeroplanes

2008-12-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

Why don't we get the hell out of this town

We could take the train or an aeroplane

The current members of Oh Captain My Captain formed in 2007, but originally started in 1998 by Jesse Bettis (vocals/guitar) and Josh Spacek (guitar) in Portland, Oregon. "Big Vans and Aeroplanes" is off their debut LP, Recklessly She Split the Sea, released earlier this year. The album was recorded at Miracle Lake Studios in Camas, Washington. Other than that, I can't really tell you much about them cause they're relatively new to the music scene. Or at least the one that's published/reviewed on the Internets. Oh and obviously their name comes from Walt Whitman's poem by the same name.

Instead of bothering trying to describe what the song sounds like or fitting them into some genre, I'll let you judge for yourself. Particularly since they're "fresh meat" and haven't been ripped apart/praised/categorized/etc. by the blogosphere--yet.

Marissa Nadler - Dying Breed

2008-12-05T18:14:00.000-08:00

Your Earthly days have passed you by

Where oh where did you go

The best way to describe Marissa Nadler's songs are "dreamy." Her voice is beautiful and she'll lure you in like a Siren. I think anyone that listens to her will agree that she sounds of another time, or maybe just timeless. "Dying Breed" sounds like some Victorian age song. It conjures images of a widow waiting for her husband to return home on a ship during a foggy day with its chimes and bells in the background. Listen and "see" for yourself.

Despite being from the East Coast, Nadler didn't gain popularity in the States until her third album--Songs III: Bird on the Water. Prior to this she was touring mostly throughout Europe, eventually gaining attention from a UK label. Growing up, she initially developed a passion for art, which she still continues 'till this day. Eventually she picked up a guitar, followed by any stringed instrument she can get her hands on. Her fourth LP, Little Hells, is due to come out on March 3. The track list is as follows:

01 Heart Paper Lover

02 Rosary

03 Mary Comes Alive

04 Little Hells

05 Ghosts and Lovers

06 Brittle Crushed and Torn

07 The Whole Is Wide

08 River of Dirt

09 Loner

10 Mistress

Dios (Malos) - Nobody's Perfect

2008-12-04T19:56:00.000-08:00

I can't block out the bad times

With the few good ones we had

I first heard "Nobody's Perfect" while lying under the star filled sky on a beach in Baja. It was barely audible as we were listening to it through an iPod which was turned up to the max and placed on the sand. Regardless, I loved it. It might have been the setting. It might have been the people I was with. Either way, it stuck with me and when I returned home from the trip I remembered to look into Dios, who later became Dios (Malos) due to a lawsuit from some guy named Ronnie James Dio who had a band named Dio. Whatever ...

There were quite a few songs I ended up liking from their debut album (Dios), but I particularly liked this one because it sounds Pink Floyd-esque. Hopefully guitarist Joel Morales won't read this or I'm sure he'll have a few choice words to say about that. Actually, I hope he will! But according to his self written bio of the band:

"If our sound is reduced to a catchphrase, or some California postcard-like description, the range of mood and innovation in our albums is lost. We’re just trying to write good songs and we’re trying to dress them up or down, creatively and interestingly. Keep ourselves satisfied first. Fuck anybody else. So far it seems to be working."

Cool man ... whatever you say. I just like this song & hope you will too!

Macklemore - Inhale Deep

2008-12-03T16:09:00.000-08:00

If I'm not making music

Why the fuck am I existing?

When I first found out in January of 2007 that there was a hip hop scene in Seattle, I was shocked. I'd been listening to hip hop all my life from the east to the west to the dirthy south, but never had I heard of any Seattle-based or "Pacific Northwest" rappers. I was skeptical. I gave some a listen and found that they're just as good as rappers from the rest of the country.

One of the first, and possibly my favourite, that I've heard thus far is Macklemore. Despite being a white boy, he sure can rock the mic. His lyrics are meaningful and he flows well, which is a must if you're rapping, and the beats are solid. "Inhale Deep" from The Language of My World is a good example along with many more from this album. You know by listening to him that he's doing it for the love.

Sigur Rós - Sæglópur

2008-12-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

(Some Icelandic gibberish)

Warning: if you don't like listening to long songs (7 minutes) or songs that aren't in English--this may not be for you. If you don't care or are a music explorer, then you might just love "Sæglópur" by Sigur Rós ("Victory Rose"). I highly recommend you at least give it until around 1:53 when the music just explodes only to break down 3 minutes later. It's amazing. Although you can't understand what lead singer Jon Thor Birgisson is singing (unless you're from Iceland), you can still appreciate the vocals. His just takes you out of this world because, well, they sound like they're from out of this world.

Formed in 1994, the band stayed local for a while. In 1999, they decided to breakout and released their first single--"Ný Battery." It was their 3rd album, Ágætis Byrjun that brought about the acclaim they deserved. The album was declared Iceland's Best Album of the Century (take that Björk!). Following that was their fourth album, titled, or rather untitled: ( ). This is one of my favorite albums. It's truly one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard and I could care less that I don't know what Birgisson is saying because he doesn't even know what he's saying. The vocals are recorded in "Hopelandic," which is comprised of meaningless syllables.

I admit Sigur Rós isn't for everyone. It even took me a while to really get used to them and appreciate them. But they are worth appreciating ... even if you can't pronounce any of their titles.

Tegan & Sara - Are You Ten Years Ago

2008-12-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

The pressure of this life is so

You can't be held accountable

If you go, you go

Tegan & Sara are one of those artists I quickly got into. I received The Con (produced by Christopher Walla of Death Cab for Cutie) while interning at Warner Bros. Records during the summer of 2007. At the time I had no clue who they were other than the twins whose faces I kept seeing all around the building. Along with the LP I received a copy of a compilation of their older material--"A Brief History." It was this that I liked more than the album at first. The Con eventually grew on me thanks to listening to "Are You Ten Years Ago" constantly, followed by other random tracks from the album.

What I like about the twins is that they mix pop with elements of punk and folk. As weird as that may sound--it works! For those who have no clue who they are, the girls were born and raised in Canada where they started playing guitar at the age of 15, entered some "garage band competition" and won. Fast forward some 5+ years and they're touring with Neil Young after signing to his label--Vapor Records. They love Bruce Springsteen.

Spinner recently asked them to blog on their site. They took turns writing about one of three themes: laugh, rage or cry. You can read their entries here. You should also check out their sweet live cover of Rihanna's "Umbrella," which seems to be a popular choice for a cover song.

Cold War Kids - Passing the Hat

2008-11-30T16:51:00.000-08:00

Stained glasses shine on my red wine

And the sweat of my brow drips to my shaking knees

With the sudden rise in "indie" bands, or maybe just the use of the label, it's become difficult not to get a little jaded at the sight of the word. Not just the word, but the bands themselves. It's becoming more and more difficult to find truly unique bands that fall under this category, mostly because it seems like everyone falls under this category nowadays. This, however, isn't a prelude into how the Cold War Kids are so above and beyond this and actually stand out cause, really, that's a personal matter. I just needed to vent. [:

"Passing the Hat," is a great song though, off their debut LP--Robbers & Cowards. It's one of the songs where Nathan Willett's vocals are enjoyable, which isn't to say that I can't stand it in the other tracks. But I believe his high-pitched nasal voice is one of those hate it or love it types. The song tells a story of stealing from the offering plate at church, a favorite pass time for the band (just kidding). As a matter of fact, despite denying being a Christian band during an interview with OC Weekly, their lyrics tell otherwise. Regardless, they seem to be adored by Christians and heathens around.

Recently the band stopped by Daytrotter to record four tracks, including "Passing the Hat," all of which can be heard or downloaded here with additional commentary by Willett.

Bloc Party - Song For Clay (Disappear Here)

2008-11-29T17:06:00.000-08:00

East London is a vampire

It sucks the joy right out of me

Hailing from East London, Bloc Party is a four-piece band with a lot of energy. I personally fell in love with their first album, Silent Alarm, which was released in 2005. I anxiously waited for the sophomore LP, A Weekend in the City, and was again quite pleased. However, it's taking me some time to warm up to their last album, Intimacy, primarily due to the change in sound. It can be quite frustrating when you love a band for their original sound, but they suddenly decide to change it. But this blog isn't for album reviews. So let's stay focused ...

I'm a sucker for songs that start off slow then are suddenly filled with the force of drums. It's better than doing coke lines off a bathroom urinal. I guarantee it. "Song for Clay" is one of these songs. I don't know who the hell this "Clay" is, but he got a pretty kick ass song dedicated to him. Scratch that, I decided to do a little research and according to Wikipedia the track was originally titled "Merge on the Freeway" and "Song for Clayton," which is apparently inspired by the novel Less Than Zero.

What would we do without Wikipedia?

Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

2008-11-28T16:32:00.000-08:00

I could put my arms around every boy I see

But they'd only remind me of you

The ultimate goal of "Daily Eargasm" is to recommend or highlight good songs. So ultimately you have one of those "Songs You Must Hear Before You Die" type books, but in a blog (and with links so you can actually hear the song). Not to mention that it's completely free! So even though I try my best to pick songs that are somewhat new or that you most likely haven't heard, I'm occassionally going to also pick songs that you most probably have heard. This isn't to piss you off, although I apologize if I do. But simply to take some time and give credit to those who created hit songs. And not necessarily hit songs, but good hit songs. If you've been following my blog from the beginning, you'll know that I've done this already but I thought this time around I'd explain myself a bit. So there you have it. ANYWAY ...

"Nothing Compares 2 U," by Sinéad O'Connor is definitely one of these hits. For those who don't know, the song is actually a cover of a Prince composition, which never actually made it onto any of his own albums. What really makes this song so great for me is the music video. Firstly, I hadn't seen many, if any, bald female singers up until that point (insert Britney Spears joke). Secondly, the video is almost entirely focused on her face making it both very intimate and intense. Because here is this woman who is clearly hurt (thanks to her drummer and father of her child) and pouring her heart out to you. The feelings are clearly genuine and you even see a tear run down her face at the end. The music isn't particularly amazing, but the vocals and lyrics make up for it. I think it's the latter that really makes this song hit home for anyone whose ever been heartbroken.

"Nothing Compares 2 U" had the highest chart level performance of any song in 1990. Sinéad O'Connor is still performing live around the world and has written songs for the TV series "Bones," a French movie and other various soundtracks.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2008-11-27T21:42:00.000-08:00

I was very excited to see an Invader Zim themed Thanksgiving image! I hope you'll excuse the lack of today's eargasm for I am stuffing myself like a turkey. Hope you are too. Join me tomorrow for your daily dose of sexy music.

Björk - Bachelorette

2008-11-26T18:30:00.000-08:00

If you forget my name you will go astray

Like a killer whale trapped in a bay

I'm not gonna lie, the mere thought of writing about Björk makes me want to blow my brains out, which isn't entirely uncommon by the way (sort of). So as much as this might seem like a cop out, I'm simply going to put this song out there and request that you listen.

Iceland is weird.

Bright Eyes - No One Would Riot For Less

2008-11-25T19:12:00.000-08:00

Little soldier, little insect

You know war, it has no heart

Is it pretentious, daring, or even incorrect to say that Conor Oberst, better known as Bright Eyes, is like a younger Bob Dylan? I mean it in the sense that, neither has an amazing voice but make up for it with amazing lyrics. Even their musical styles are similar--to a certain degree. And hey, "No One Would Riot For Less" actually takes a stab at war! I absolutely love this song. It's beautiful. I actually love his voice in it and the echoing background vocals and the way the song builds at the end. As always, the lyrics are good too: about lovers during the end of the world.

Thrice - Moving Mountains

2008-11-24T16:11:00.000-08:00

I don't know the first thing about love

Thrice is one of those bands that have gotten better over time and shown actual growth and maturity in their music. Of course, this is up for argument, but I think it's safe to say that they definitely haven't flopped. If anything, I think their current style allows them to attract a larger fan-base that doesn't include prepubescent emo kids. Although, I admit that line from "Moving Mountains" at the top sounds a little emo. But I don't think Dustin is talking about love between two people. As their 4th LP showed, Dustin, and possibly the rest of the band members are men of higher faith. That is unless the line, "We are the image of the invisible" is referring to our stark resemblance to gravity.

Faith, however, is besides the point here. Regardless of what the band members of Thrice may or may not believe in, their last album is testament to their skills as musicians. The Alchemy Index is split into two LPs, which are split into 2 EPs. Each EP is named after the classical elements of fire water, earth and air, thus making up the "Alchemy Index." The song I chose is the first track from Vol. IV: Earth. This entire volume has a much sadder feel to it, but I just love the sound of "Moving Mountains." As much as I can enjoy their post-hardcore tracks, sometimes nothing gets me more than hearing Dustin sing over an acoustic guitar like in this song.

On that note, Dustin released his first acoustic solo album last year and is releasing a Christmas one this year. I love his live cover of Sinead O'Connors "Nothing Compares 2 U" that he did while performing under the alias "Ursus Veritas"--a play on Latin words meaning "(to) bear truth."

Regina Spektor - Après moi

2008-11-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

Après moi, le deluge

After me, comes the flood

Not only is Regina Spektor a talented musician, but she truly has a unique voice and style. She covers it all, from super quirky to rock filled to ballad-like tracks. "Après moi" is a perfect example of the latter with a touch of quirky. It displays her Russian roots (she was born in Moscow, then moved to Brooklyn) along with her classical training. Legend has it that the line, "Après moi, le deluge" was said by Louis XV of France while at Versaille. If not him, then perhaps his mistress--Madame de Pompadour.

Although often described as "anti-folk," it is hard to fit her into any category. Her music covers a wide range of influences and each has its own style, yet is distinctly Regina. Even her lyrics are interesting, often using literary allusions and sometimes singing in different languages as heard in today's recommendation (er, eargasm). She first entered the "mainstream" with the track "Us" from Soviet Kitsch; but it was her video for "Fidelity" that really put her on the map.

DJ Shadow - Mutual Slump

2008-11-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

Do you feel like Darth Vader?

DJ Shadow is a hip-hop DJ/producer. His debut album, Endtroducing... contains obvious influences of hip-hop, while transcending any clear genre-related boundaries. In "layman's terms," it's a mix of everything. He clearly has an amazing ability in "diggin' through the crates" to find the most obscure samples possible. In fact, the entire album is made from sampling other works. Although I selected "Mutual Slump," I cannot emphasize how much I recommend listening to Endtroducing... in its entirety. This is definitely one of those albums all music fans should hear, and love, during their lifetime. The sad part is, he hasn't released an album anywhere near as good since then. I suppose it is the nature of DJs to spend more time making live appearances and producing for other artists than releasing their own material. But it sure as Hell is frustrating to fans of this album.

He has, however, done some great production work for such artists as UNKLE. "Rabbit in Your Headlights" is a good one and features Thom Yorke on vocals. He also has some sweet music videos for "Organ Donor" off Endtroducing... and "Six Days" off The Private Press.

Rocky Votolato - Automatic Rifle

2008-11-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

Even a smart girl can end up

With a bomb strapped to her chest

Growing up in Texas with a father who was a member of a motorcycle gang rivals with the Hell's Angels, Rocky Votolato picked up the guitar after his mother moved the family to Seattle. It was here where he began to expand his music roots from country to punk and indie. After playing in a few bands with some high school friends, Rocky decided to launch a solo career. By his 3rd LP, Suicide Medicine, Rocky started to gather some acclaim. Thus far, he'd only spent under a month working on his albums. His fourth album took a year and a half but was praised by fans and critics.

Although there are a handful of Rocky Votolato songs I could recommend I decided to go with "Automatic Rifle." On the surface, he may seem like just another stripped-down guitar and vocals act, but something just resonates with him. I really like the guitar in this song and, as always, his vocals are soothing, but he's also not afraid to crank it up a bit and put some emotion into it.

Rocky is married with 2 children and resides in Seattle. He's also appeared in a movie about a gang war between punk rockers and straight-edgers.

Neva Dinova - Clouds

2008-11-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

When I think of dyin'

I laugh out loud

Formed in the early '90s, Neva Dinova didn't actually release their first album until 2002. Like yesterday's recommended artist, this band built most of their reputation in one area--Omaha; eventually signing to local label Saddle Creek, home to Bright Eyes & Tokyo Police Club.

I'm not sure what it is about "Clouds," off their 3rd LP, You May Already Be Dreaming, that draws me to it. Scratch that, it's definitely the electric guitars that creep in throughout the song. And although a part of me likes the vocals, the other part makes me want to scream sometimes. Despite the lead singers last name being Bellows, he tends to come off as very passive and unemotional. Basically just one long sigh. But I'm not here to bash on them. After all, this is "Daily Eargasm" so these songs are supposed to do just that--make your ears quiver with joy. I do like this song. And I approve this message.

The Parson Red Heads - Days of My Youth

2008-11-19T21:50:00.000-08:00

The days of my youth

I miss so dear

My favourite part of "Days of My Youth" is the elements of psychedelic folk. The Parson Red Heads, originally from Oregon, made their debut in Los Angeles with residencies at the Silver Lake Lounge and the Echo. The band includes family members and, yes, two red heads (represent!). They dress all in white on stage; a bit cult-ish, but I'm sure they're harmless.

With only one album under their belt (King Giraffe), not much is known about them. Or at least, I don't know much about them, except that they sound like they were born in the wrong decade. However, they released an EP earlier this year to be followed by an LP sometime soon! So ch-ch-check them out!

Hot Chip - We're Looking for a Lot of Love

2008-11-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

I try my best to keep up with the beat

You're everything that I never could keep

It's somewhat hard to believe that "We're Looking for a Lot of Love" is made by the same band that did "Shake a Fist." I suppose that's partly what's cool about Hot Chip--their ability to make a decent, albeit turbulent, record (Made in the Dark) that alternates from thumping electronic beats to downtempo.

I also really dig the video for their latest single, "One Pure Thought."

Woot! Shortest entry.

The Decemberists - The Mariner's Revenge Song

2008-11-17T17:37:00.000-08:00

But never once in the employ of these holy men

Did I ever once turn my mind from the thought of revenge

If there is one word to describe "The Mariner's Revenge Song" it is "epic." This sea chantey by The Decemberists is exactly what the title says it's about. I'd highly recommend reading the lyrics while listening in order to follow the story line. Although the song is almost 9 minutes long, and possibly not the most accessible to those who have never heard the Decemberists before, it is the perfect example of what this band is capable of. Lead singer Colin Meloy's lyrics always tell a story of human trials and tribulations centered around love, death, betrayal, and of course, revenge; makes sense, considering that prior to joining the band he was studying creative writing. But don't get me wrong, their music is just as good and interesting as their lyrics.

Their latest album, The Crane Wife, was the first to be released by a major label. Oddly, it is far from being a commercial album with two songs being over ten minutes long. The album is somewhat based on a Japanese folk tale with the same title as the album. Early last month, in a newsletter to fans, the band revealed that their next LP will be released some time next year and will be titled The Hazards of Love. Then, during their set in Baltimore, Meloy confirmed that the album will be released in March.

The Crane Wife isn't the only folkloric influence on the Decemberists music. Back in 2004, they released an 18 minute EP titled The Tain based on an Irish myth. Earlier this year, a video was released set to the entire EP. Made by filmmaker Andy Smetanka, the video is entirely "silhouette crepe paper stop motion animation," says Meloy.

Lastly, in case you ever wondered, their album art is actually done by the artist Carson Ellis, who happens to be Meloy's wife.